


On Art, Ageing, and Armed Resistance

by hydianway



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015), Star Wars: Rebels
Genre: Epistolary, F/F, Old Ladies of the Resistance, Pre-Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-20
Updated: 2016-11-20
Packaged: 2018-08-30 21:51:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,626
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8550478
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hydianway/pseuds/hydianway
Summary: Selected written communications (17-30 ABY) between Senator Leia Organa of the New Republic and Sabine Wren, prominent experimental artist of the post-Empire era.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sevenofspade](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sevenofspade/gifts).



> This was the prompt I chose to go with:  
>  _Leia Organa/Sabine Wren: Young ladies of the Rebellion! Or old ladies of the Resistance. Possibly penpals, either way (with little drawings for each other). Sabine helping Leia setting up the New Republic. Senator Wren/General Organa._
> 
> The fic covers mostly the 'old ladies of the Resistance,' and 'possibly penpals' parts of the prompt.

10:8:21

Dear Sabine,

You know I always admired your hair. I’ve admired your hair since what, that time you and your terrible friends stole my ship (haha) on Lothal, though I definitely didn’t tell you that then. I think I was partly stuffy about being traditional and pretty and an Alderaanian princess and everything but also just kind of envious of HOW MUCH COOLER you were than me, because of the aforementioned stuffiness and tradition on my part and the rebellious blue hair or whatever it was on yours. Being sixteen was incredibly distressing on a personal as well as political level, I’m so happy I don’t have to tie myself up in knots about a crisis of identity every other day of the week now AS WELL as try to fight against the Empire. I am told I was frighteningly self-possessed as an adolescent though and all the absurd and awful fits of self-consciousness didn’t show at all!! Still happy to have grown out of it.

But I haven’t grown out of admiring your hair, isn’t that fantastic. Though you’re also very sexy mostly bald. I think you would probably be sexy even if you decided to do it with one of those awful permanent things, with the curls like some Senator’s mistress’s pocket-dog, but I don’t exactly recommend trying, that stuff smells foul and it doesn’t exactly look GOOD… I just think you could pull it off if you were forced to. Though I think it’s probably a better look on the dog than the Senator’s mistress herself, ha ha. 

I’m glad to hear that Hera’s happy with her new ship, I’ll have to comm her myself one of these days, it’s been too long. 

Ben as usual is terror on two very long legs, WHO KNOWS where he got his temper from,* heavens knows I love the boy dearly but teenagers are a handful at the best of times, and Ben is definitely not the most well adjusted of sixteen year olds. I’m probably going to send him to Luke soon, I think he’s having trouble with the Force and I’m not a lot of help with that even now, so hopefully Luke will be able to do better. His Jedi school seems to be going well enough, anyway. 

*It was me. If I pretended otherwise I’d be reaching these incredible, towering heights of self-delusion, and I’d probably go insane from the sheer stress of trying to maintain it. Han has his moments but he’s pretty easy going for an ex-blaster slingin’ scoundrel, so I can’t blame him anyway, and as far as I know there is no third parent….. unless Chewbacca’s genes got mixed in there somehow….. it would certainly explain the height….. and the excess of hair.… I’M JOKING I NEVER HAD SEX WITH CHEWIE. Han might have though, I never did want to ask in case it touched on some sensitive feelings...  

But enough of that!! I hope you’re doing well wherever you are, which I think is Chandrila? Say hi to Mon for me if you see her, I haven’t seen her in a while since it’s off-season for the Senate and I guess she’ll be home.

Good luck with the show, and see if you can come visit me soon, I miss you and your sexy, sexy hair.

Love,

Leia

 

\----

 

12:8:21

Leia--

I didn’t know you admired my hair when you were on Lothal! I thought you were too busy for that, with all the ships being stolen, ha ha ha. I also admire your hair! Sometimes I want to try and eat it, not in a sex way (does anyone want to eat hair in a sex way? I mean, probably, good for them, I just don’t. Hey, maybe you should ask Han, since you seem to think he likes hair enough to have sex with a Wookiee-- nothing against Wookiees, but the sheer amount of fur would certainly discourage some of my favourite in-bed activities) but just because sometimes it looks like fancy dessert.

I am sorry about Ben, but kids are apparently known to grow out of it. Hopefully Luke might just help get him a bit of a better grounding the Force and then he’ll stop wanting to break your good china or whatever through sheer force of will and refusing to listen to anything you say. 

I grew out of it, anyway, and I was the teenage Mandalorian bounty hunter from hell. KETSU grew out of it, and she was worse. Did you ever meet Ketsu? If you like bald women or blaster slingers, you would love Ketsu Onyo. (Maybe that’s why I never introduced you...)

You know actually though, I was a bit self-conscious at sixteen, on top of liking blowing stuff up and bounty hunting and all that, so I guess it’s one of those things that holds true across the board. I was angry too, and there was the Empire, but that was what I had art for. If Luke can’t help, maybe the next step is to get Ben a spray can and some explosives?? Or just the spray can, it's up to you. Or do you think he'd prefer more traditional painting, or something sculptural? 

I don’t know all that much about the Force either even though I did live with Kanan and Ezra long enough. All I really seemed to remember was Kanan telling Ezra to focus, and not to be so angry all the time. Is being angry a Force-user thing? Are they all so focussed on the Force and trying not to get angry because they’re actually like, three hundred times as angry as any other being at any given time? Ahsoka never really seemed to be like that, or Luke. But maybe they’re just better at hiding it than Ezra “I hate the Empire more than ANYTHING and I’m going to start using the Dark Side just to prove it” Bridger or Kanan “pretending to be calm but really YELLING INSIDE HELP” Jarrus.

Also, WHY did you have to mention Chewbacca and Han screwing, now I’m convinced that they absolutely have and I’m never going to be able to look at them the same again.

Hera says to tell you that you should forget just comming, and go visit her sometime!! I think she wants to tell you embarrassing stories about me when I was a teenager, since she hasn’t really had a chance to chat to you at all since we decided to… do whatever we’re doing (Friends-with-benefits-ing?) and I think she wants to take on the traditionally parental role of embarrassing the living daylights out of their offspring in front of people they’re supposed to appear alluring and competent to. Not that I’m young enough anymore to be very susceptible to daylights-destroying embarrassment, she should’ve gotten onto it much earlier. But I don’t think she like any of the other people I’ve slept with over the years to even bother, so I won’t spoil her fun or yours.

Unless she tells you about that time with the-- you know what, I’m not going to finish that sentence, it’ll only sound worse than it is. 

Yeah, I’m on Chandrila! Show seems to be going well, I did a lecture at the gallery yesterday and another at one of the universities today (it’s crazy, honestly, when there are hundreds of kids and adults even in the audience looking at you like you actually know anything about art. It’s sort of great, but I don’t know how much I like being The Art Establishment), and I talked to Mon at the show. She said to send you her regards, and to tell you that she has some stuff for you to look at when the Senate gets back from its break or whatever you call it. I don’t know, maybe you should comm her instead of doing this weird proxy thing. The Holonet was invented for a reason!

And guess what!! I’ll probably be able to visit next week (5 days from now, I'll let you know the exact time I'm arriving closer to whenever that will be). I’m looking forward to it!!

\--Sabine

 

\----

 

15:8:21

Dear Sabine,

Don’t really know why I’m writing this, seeing as you’re going to be here in a few days, but I had an afternoon blessedly free of both politics and wayward family members, so here I am. I’m very excited to see you!! Please don’t try to eat my hair, it takes a long time to get it looking like this and I don’t think saliva makes a very good hair product. Would also prefer it if you did not lick my face or other parts of me outside of appropriate context, though naturally once other people are shut away and clothes are removed all bets are off (excepting elaborate coiffure, thank you very much). 

Please can we stop talking about Han and Chewie?? I mean it might have happened but that doesn’t really mean we need to dwell on it!! unless you’re trying to tell me something about your secret desire to sleep with my ex-husband and his loyal co-pilot. In which case I suggest you take it up with them, because I wouldn’t want to get in the middle of that.

I’m sure you’ll be pleased to hear I commed Hera and Mon, and on that note, would you like to take a jaunt out to see Hera once you’re here? I think we have time if you don’t mind rushing off the second you get here. And of course we can take one of the nice ships, or at least one with a bed and doors that can shut, and then we’ll have plenty of alone time on board. I’m really looking forward to Hera’s stories, I asked her and she promised there were some good ones, especially to do with hair dye...

I’m happy your art is going well, Force knows you deserve hundreds of people listening to every word you say about it. Do they mostly like the painting or do they also want to know about the pyrotechnics? Or do they ask you very intelligent questions about how one informs the other, and symbolism and things? As long as they don’t ask you about how you feel about being an authority in the art community. Then you might get a reputation as being a bit cranky. Or maybe you already do.

See you in two days (!!),

Leia

 

\----

 

15:8:21

Leia--

That sounds great, I’ll see you then but for now I have to be off!

\--Sabine

 

 

* * *

 

6:7:25

Leia--

Thank you for the congratulations on my art award! It’s a shame you couldn’t come to the award ceremony, it would’ve been much less boring if you had. I don’t feel old enough to be getting that sorts of thing, but apparently I am. Or maybe I’m just so impressive-- I mean how many prominent Mandalorian graffiti artists and pyrotechnics specialists are there who were also part of the Rebellion-- that it doesn’t matter what age I am. Anyway, the shiny trophy thing’s sitting in my studio right now, I can’t wait till I accidentally scorch it with something.

Also, it’s sort of making me want to take up metalworking. I like the look of welding the old fashioned way. You know, applying mass amounts of heat to very strong material and trying to convince it to do what you want, not the sterile thing that droids do. What do you reckon?

Anyway, when do you have some time free? I swear you only get busier every year, and I’d like to see you in person sometimes!!

Love,

Sabine

 

\----

 

6:7:25

Dear Sabine,

I’m sorry I couldn’t make it too. I was going to say something about the age thing, but well, whatever makes you feel happy, dear. You’re not old yet if you don’t want to be, though I’m certainly old and I can’t see why a matter of belief should exempt you from the same, especially since you are, in fact, older than me!!

Also, I’m sure that if you want to take up welding you’re going to take up welding no matter what I say about it, but I think metalwork could make a really interesting addition to the stuff you already do-- on Alderaan I used to know a woman who did these great huge steel frames (and I do mean huge, the width and height of a two storey house at least-- and not durasteel, she said that it tended to be too unforgiving for the tools she used) and kind of string thin, steel rods across them in a kind of elaborate lattice. I can’t remember her name now-- maybe it was Tenica.

I think I have some free time the week after next, just for a few days, unless something comes up. I was going to visit Luke and Ben at the Jedi school actually but I think I can spare an extra day to jump over to where you are if you like. I’ll comm you nearer the time to confirm. Force, wouldn’t it be nice if we could see each other more than a few times a year? Pity you need to travel so much and can’t stand politicians that aren’t me. Not that I’d want you living near me if it made you unhappy.

I think I do get busier every year, actually!! I don’t remember being this rushed off my feet in about twenty years. And I’m sorry about how boring this letter probably is, I’d try to think of something very amusing to say now, but my brain is all just politics, politics, politics and I don’t think you’d really want to hear about that.

Love, as always,

Leia

 

\----

 

8:7:25

You’re not that old, Leia, you’re not even fifty yet. I’m not even fifty yet and as you’re aware, I’m older than you. I’ve decided that I’m not going to let anyone (even you, you awful woman) call me old until I’m at least sixty, which I reckon gives me enough time to get used to the idea.

I’m definitely going to take up old school welding. Was the woman you knew called Tenica Rormane? I was at a sculpture show about ten years ago and they had a few of her smaller works there. The really large ones didn’t tend to travel off-planet, you know. They were great, I liked them a lot-- probably too many fiddly bits for my tastes or patience, but the scale was fantastic, and so were some of the ones where she put those little globes of transparisteel with flames in them.

And before you say anything, this isn’t like the time when I said I was going to make a series of modified blasters (I’d make them from scratch actually, and emphasis on the “modified” aspect of the design) that were actually sex toys, because I was drunk when I said that and I only 60% meant it. Still, maybe one of these days now I’ve reminded myself. I know I’d have at least one buyer lined up, I bet you’d love a very expensive artistic blaster vibrator thing.

Are you sure you can make it all the way from Luke’s school to where I am near Onderon in a day? We could meet in the middle somewhere if you like, I have complete freedom to decide on my own schedule at the moment. Might be nice to go somewhere different anyway.

As for settling down in one place... it has crossed my mind, but I don’t think I’ll really want to for a decade or so yet. Despite a few creaks and aches, probably the payoff from all the turbulence and fighting in my youth, I’m as healthy as ever and very happy to be able to go where I like.

I might set up a kind of home base though, because I’m going to need an actual freighter to store all my work and equipment in soon. And I don’t know how well massive sheets of steel and great big beams or welding are going to mix with the whole idea of a ship, so I’ll probably have to stay planetside for a few months at least some time in the near future. I’ll try make that near you, and then we’ll be able to see a probably unprecedented amount of each other.

Love,

Sabine

 

 

* * *

 

  
5:11:28

Dear Sabine,

Well, I’m sure you’ve heard everything by now. I just wanted to say that I’m truly sorry for not telling you before it came out like this, which, in hindsight, I think it was always bound to. Given of course my public profile and the general inflammatory nature of the information in question.

I hope you can forgive me,

Leia

 

\----

 

6:11:28

I’m a bit angry with you to be honest but I’ve been thinking about it and I understand why you didn’t tell anyone. I also keep telling myself that we can hardly hold children accountable for the sins of their parents (where would I be if we did-- better off than you, perhaps, but that says more about your relations than mine) and I know Darth Vader hurt you as much or more as he did anyone else. But I can’t really get past it yet. I keep getting stuck on “Darth Vader” and “Leia’s father” and getting kind of angry that you didn’t trust me enough after thirty-odd years to let me know.

So I think I can forgive you, but probably not yet.

\--Sabine

 

 

* * *

 

8:3:30

Leia--

I just heard the news and I’m so sorry. It would be bad enough to lose the school and Ben, but for Luke to vanish as well? I’m so, so sorry. How are you holding up?

And I know this is too little too late, but is there anything I can do?

Yours,

Sabine

 

\----

 

_message encrypted :: code 21912_

8:3:30

Thank you. I’m holding up all right, under the circumstances. It is rather a nasty series of blows, isn’t it?

Luke has his reasons. I won’t pretend to understand all of them, but I do trust him to do what he needs to do.

As it happens, there might be something you can do. You might remember a few years ago, when the secret came out about mine and Luke’s parentage (of course you do otherwise you’ve been out of contact with me ever since for something you can’t even remember, and you might be unbending but I don’t believe you’ve ever been cold without reason). (I’m sorry, that was probably harsh.) Well, soon after I and a few of my colleagues became rather concerned about the possibility of a group of Imperial remnants gathering strength somewhere in the Unknown Regions, and decided to organise. That's why I left the Senate, you might have heard about that too.

Well, I’m sure you can work out where I’m going with this. So, what do you say? 

(It’s probably just that old habitual paranoia, but please encrypt your reply using one of the old codes-- I think there are still a few that are useful.)

\--Leia

 

\----

 

_message encrypted :: code 85181_

9:3:30

Leia, I was born into fighting and I don’t think it’s done with me yet.

I will help; give me a few days and I’ll have my gear from all the secret places I’ve stored it over the years. Some say paranoia, I say common sense, and looks like it’s paying off. Not that I’m pleased. I would’ve been happy to let the armory decay if it’d meant we had some semblance of peace for the rest of my lifetime.

Also, I won’t say more here (not sure of this encryption, we need to get someone onto sorting something different out), but I think I have some information that might prove useful, and on that note, would you like to meet me in three days time on our old home base? The Empire might’ve flattened a lot of Lothal, but I’ve managed to build something up on my own over the years-- see above re: paranoia.

\-- Sabine

p.s. I missed you quite a lot. You might be a little harsh, but you were also fair. The whole thing seems kind of unimportant now, and I’m sorry that we let it come between us as well. I hope we can be friends again.

 

\----

 

_message encrypted :: code 21912_

9:3:30

Dear Sabine,

That sounds perfect-- actually, no, a clandestine meeting about another campaign of resistance sounds quite far from that, but I can do three days from now on Lothal. I’m bringing a few of my people-- they think my son might target me and so they’ll hardly let me out alone, but you might recognise a face or two there anyway.

Yes I will get onto the encryptions, I’m just lacking in anyone decent with semi-legal tech. I’m sure it’ll be fine, I have been very careful with my personal codes over the years so unless Ben was cleverer and playing a longer game than I would give him credit for, we can keep going until someone shows up to reinvent them all.

\-- Leia

p.s. I missed you too, but you probably already got that. You’re right that the drama about my late unlamented father almost seems unimportant now-- between us at least, although I wonder at the affect the whole thing had on Ben... Still, no time for regrets, and I’m looking forward to seeing you, whatever the circumstance. It’s been so long, Sabine.


End file.
